DS, Y7- pls suggest how to structure homework so it doesn't overwhelm us!

[ampere]

DS1 started secondary last week. It's a comp and quite high achieving, hence it is nose to the grindstone, Day One.

The homework to date has been covering exercise books, a poster to promote RE.. a poster to promote Lab Safety, plus some proper maths and proper English. We supposedly get at least 2 evenings in which to do any piece of homework- it is usually to be returned in the next period of that subject which'd be at least 2 days hence, sometimes a week.

The school say they give 2 days to allow DCs to do other things like Scouts, which is fine BUT so far, in less than a complete school week, he has had at least 2 half hour things to do every night! So even on Scout evening he had to do at least one homework task so as not to be overwhelmed!-which of course means THREE things the next night. Sigh.

Now, I know I can't change this but I want some advice please:

What do your DCs do when they get home? (3.15pm for both mine) Neither of my 2 are the type to break out and go mad with a football or go for a 20 minute bike ride, which is a pity- they want to slump in front of the TV with a drink and a snack, which I guess is OK, BUT...

What time would you start the homework thing? 4pm?

Do you time them per subject to avoid them struggling on for 'hours'?

Do you make them do it all as they bring it home even if it is 3 subjects on the assumption it should mean only one subject one other night (hope!) and even if some isn't due back for a week?

When do yours do weekend homework? Friday night? Saturday morning?.. of course bearing in mind that other stuff gets in the way and nothing can be carved in stone!

All advice listened to, but the old 'It'll fizzle out in a month/ don't worry about it' is most certainly not the case!

Fascinating stuff. As someone whose bum always hit the sofa first, and eventually did homework after dinner, when I was far too tired, it's useful to learn some better methods!

Ampere: yes definitely. We gave ds1 a lot of support in yr7 in getting himself organised, sorting out his stuff and getting on and completing his homework properly to a high standard. (As we are now for ds2 in yr7).

Now (yr9), ds1's pretty much independent and gets on and sorts himself out. I do keep a very close eye on the homework diary and check through his exercise books that he is working hard in class as well.

Yaer 7 really is the time to establish good routines with homework, then hopefully they'll carry them on right through school.

bigTillyMint
Simple tips for attractive posters:
Choose and use one font only. (Possibly one other for a major title or a specific purpose, if you really have to.)
Maximum of 3 different font sizes, preferably 2.
Use blank space effectively - this can make your poster look far more attractive than just filling every space with text/pictures.
Choose a simple colour scheme - two main complementary colours and stick with them: don't be tempted to get too fussy.
Make sure all images used are high quality
NEVER use "rainbow" colour fill - looks very tacky
NEVER use comic sans or similar!

Ampere - the boys do get quite a few poster homeworks, but I don't mind really. Some people think they're a cop out, but I don't know why.

Students have to revise information, retrieve it, sequence and order it, collate it, sort and select it, and then present it in an effective manner. It's a great way of consolidating learning in the class or of demonstrating what they've learned through a research task IMO.

We remind the dds after tea (about 6.30ish) because that's a good time to get in an hour of homework if needed. We can usually help them then if necessary.

Also, if we know they have homework and remind them after tea, I can syggest they don't go out to play with friends that evening.

Ds' homework has been looked after since Yr 4 by the simple threat of lunchtime detention, but I suspect as he goes onto secondary next year that I will have to look into those parental time management sessions (aka nagging) as doing a project over a period of two months is not quite the same as doing a sheet of maths.

Thanks roisin - DD has a homework to make a poster of something on publisher, so I'll show her the tips

Perhaps I am lucky to have a DS who is concientious because he is currently in Yr 6 and my DH and I have taken the decision to stop reminding him about homework because he will be at secondary school next year.

When we started last year we had a few tears at night with a memory of homework and hasty work done in the morning but now in Year 6, he is doing it on his own with help from us when he asks for it. He is an eager to please kid though who hates being late for anything to phobic proportions to the point that he gets himself ready in the morning and to the bus stop rather than waiting for my DH and my DD who are chronically late for everything. Hopefully this should carry on in Year 7. I spotted some work he was doing the other night which was really good. There is a preconceived idea that boys are lazy but that is all it is a preconceived idea and the more parents fall for it, the more boys will be. Quite often boys are worse at GCSE level but really come into their own at A Level. Interestingly my sister's boy is the same and the girl is disorganised.

You will find out if DC not doing hw at secondary school apparently because the school will be quick to tell you.

"You will find out if DC not doing hw at secondary school apparently because the school will be quick to tell you."

I think that depends very much on the school and the individual teachers tbh.

I do like my boys to be independent and get on and manage their own work. But I still monitor their planners and exercise books closely, so that I know what they're up to.

"NEVER use comic sans or similar!"

See, of course, here.

Roisin, I would agree and leave the kids to organise but take an interest in what they are doing but not in teacher mode.